kizzyk

Saturday 25 January 2014

I did not impregnate any artiste-phyno

Hip Hop artiste, Phyno, denies having any relationship with Rita Edmond in this interview with JAYNE AUGOYE

 Rapper Phyno’s decision to move to Lagos in 2008, after dominating the music scene in the Southeast for a while, appears to have paid off. In less than four years, he has justified his rise to stardom by single-handedly pushing indigenous Igbo rap music into the limelight.

Phyno, no doubt, is on top of his game. After dropping successful singles, like ‘Ghost Mode’, ‘Man of The Year (Obago)’, ‘Multiply Remix’ and ‘Shut Down’, music fans cannot help but compare him with the Yoruba rap sensation, Olamide.

The artiste, who recently disclosed that ‘Phyno’ is actually a nickname given to him in secondary school, has always managed to stand out in a crowd.

“The name originated from the word ‘phenomenal’. This is because I always liked to stand out back then in school,” he says.

With such achievements, the light-skinned rapper, best known for his eccentricity, has enjoyed a scandal-free career. However, a report which has since gone viral is threatening to rob off negatively on him.

He has been alleged to have joined the league of Nigerian celebrities with children out of wedlock. It is also being alleged that his alleged lover, Rita Edmond, is currently carrying his baby.

Ever since the news broke, tale bearers have been persistently at work. On Thursday it was rumoured that while Phyno appears to be excited about the development, Rita has not been very happy.

But the same artiste, who has worked as a producer with the likes of Timaya, Flavour, Ruggedman, Bracket, J Martins and Mr. Raw in the past, describes the story as false. “Believe it or not, I’ve never met or spoken to anyone by that name. I haven’t made any woman pregnant either. If people need three seconds of fame I’m glad that my name could help,” he says.

Meanwhile, when E-Punch contacted Rita for her reaction, she was evasive. After much persuasion, she decided to open up. But she ended up saying, “The only information I can give you is that I am in love with a rap artiste. I don’t want to mention his name. Since different stories are flying around, I am trying to understand where everybody got their story from. Of course, I had a vacation in Dubai and I am back in Nigeria.”

Although both parties deny ever meeting each other, a reliable source says they are indeed lovers and their love affair started in Enugu when Phyno was yet an undergraduate at the Institute of Management and Technology.

Yet, in spite of the controversies, Phyno remains undaunted and says he prefers to focus on his music career. He tells E-Punch that he has great dreams for his brand.

“My greatest wish is to be successful and to touch lives somehow through my music. Although my fan base in the East is bigger because I started my career over there, I get a lot of love from the West too and I’m grateful,” he says.

Phyno, who has denied the rumour that he is from a wealthy background, says he would rather prefer to take things in his stride.

“I always keep it real and I am never under any pressure to be what I am not. I have gone through struggles like everyone else. It is just God’s grace that has kept me from going down. I don’t consider myself a king because I’m just a guy doing what I love. Much respect to Mr Raw and others always,” he says.

Phyno describes the Nigerian rap scene as a breeding ground for talented rappers. “We have rappers that can compete favourably with their contemporaries anywhere in the world. The industry is developing. Olamide and I are friends and we have a good working chemistry. He is one artiste that I admire a lot.”

The Headies Awards may have come and gone, but Phyno will forever relish the moment he was announced as the winner of the Best Rap Single award. As far as he is concerned, the award will boost his career tremendously.

“I felt honoured and humbled at the same time because these people are really talented people that I respect,” he says.

He beat Ill Bliss, Olamide and Reminisce to win the award.

No comments:

Post a Comment